Insert for football kicking shoe

ABSTRACT

Apparatus molded to the shape of an individual&#39;&#39;s foot and insertable within a football shoe to prevent bending of the ankle when a football is placekicked.

United States Patent Ryals E. Lee

420 Plantation Road, Tallahassee, Fla. 32304;

Paul W. Lee, 1606 Marshall St., Waycross, Ga. 3150] Appl. No. 828,792

Filed May 28, 1969 Patented Nov. 9, 1971 inventors INSERT FOR FOOTBALL KlCKiNG SHOE 1 Claim, 6 Drawing Figs.

US. Cl 273/55 B, 128/80 R, 128/581 Int. Cl A63b 67/00 [50} Field 01 Search 273/55; 128/80, 166, 581

{56] References Cited UNlTED STATES PATENTS 1,465,233 8/1923 Posner 128/166 1,737.897 12/1929 Skoglund 128/166 Primary Examiner-Richard C. Pinkham Assisranl Examiner-Theatrice Brown Attorneys-A. Yates Dowell and A. Yates Doweli, .lr.

ABSTRACT: Apparatus molded to the shape of an individuals foot and insertable within a football shoe to prevent bending of the ankle when a football is placekicked.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention This invention relates generally to footwear of various kinds and relates particularly to apparatus adapted to be inserted within the shoe of an athlete to assist in performing certain functions, such as kicking a ball.

2. Description of the Prior Art Heretofore many devices have been provided for shoes and other wearing apparel for athletes or the like; however, most of these prior art devices have been primarily as a protection for certain parts of the body and were not intended to assist in the performing of certain functions. Some efforts have been made to provide structures attachable to the shoe itself or to other wearing apparel, such as prior US. Pat. No. 3,328,030 of which one of the present inventors was a coinventor. This prior structure was attached to the exterior of the shoe as well as the leg of the athlete and served the purpose for which it was intended; however, it was necessary to alter the shoe to fit the device. Also, this structure substantially prevented the bending of the athlete's ankle in any direction and thereby limited his mobility. Accordingly, the prior art structures have failed to perform the function for which they were intended, were expensive to produce and maintain, required alterations to the original equipment which rendered the equipment suitable only for the use to which it was adapted, and otherwise have not been satisfactory.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention is an ankle brace insert for a football shoe and includes a device constructed of relatively still semirigid material individually molded to an athlete's foot and ankle and adapted to be placed within a conventional football show without alteration to the shoe in any way and when in use permits the athlete to bend his ankle in one direction but prevents bending in the other direction so that the athletes foot and ankle will be locked when kicking a football from the ground.

It is an object of the invention to provide an ankle brace insert molded to the configuration of an individual athlete's foot and ankle and adapted to be inserted within a shoe without modification to the shoe so that the shoe can be used in a conventional manner when the device is not in use.

Another object of the invention is to provide an ankle brace insert which can be inserted within a conventional shoe and will permit bending of the athletes ankle in one direction but will prevent bending in another direction.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT With continued reference to the drawing, a shoe is provided and such shoe is of the type normally worn by football players. In recent years placekicking of the football, particularly while trying for the point after touchdown or attempting to score a fieldgoal, has become a highly specialized art and normally a certain player on each team is designated as theplacekicker and this effort is his only contribution to the team. With the development of better football teams, the extra point and fieldgoal have become increasingly important. One of the main reasons for missing the extra point or fieldgoal has been due to the fact that the kicker must maintain his foot and ankle locked when the foot makes contact with the football.

This has proved difficult for some kickers and therefore the present invention includes an ankle brace insert 11 constructed of plastic or other semirigid moldable material which is molded to the individual configuration of an athlete's foot so that it will be comfortable in use. The insert 11 includes a base or foot portion 12 preferably of a size to be located under the entire foot of the athlete. The rear of the foot portion is integrally connected to an upwardly extending ankle portion 13 which extends a substantial distance up the rear of the persons ankle and normally terminates adjacent to the upper portion of a high-top shoe. The ankle portion 13 curves around and is molded to the configuration of the heel and ankle of the athlete to provide intimate engagement and support for the same. The outer side of the foot portion 12 is provided with an upwardly extending flange 14 adapted to conform to the configuration of the side of the athletes foot. The flange 14 extends forwardly from the ankle portion 13 and terminates substantially adjacent to the ball portion 15 of the foot. Such flange reinforces the foot portion 12 and resists bending of such foot portion in the area of the flange but permits bending forwardly thereof.

It is noted that although a high-top shoe has been illustrated and described, the insert ll. could be used with low-top shoes such as the shoes conventionally worn by backfield men. When a low shoe is worn, the upper portion of the insert 11 can be secured to the leg of the kicker in any desired manner, as by a strap, tape or the like. When a strap is being used, such strap may be secured to the back of the insert or the insert may be provided with a pair of spaced, generally vertically disposed slots which permit the strap to be woven therethrough and which hold the strap in position.

In the operation of the device the inert Ill is molded to the contour of an athletes foot and is adapted to be inserted within a conventional football shoe It) so that when the shoe is applied to the foot of the athlete and is laced tightly, the ankle will be prevented from bending downwardly so that the foot and ankle will be locked when contact is made with the football. During normal running or walking the foot portion 12 of the insert can bend in the area of the ball of the foot and therefore will not impair the mobility or freedom of movement of the kicker. Since the kicker normally is a specialist whose only duties are to kick placements, the insert can be left in the shoe during the entire game; however, if the kicker also plays another position, the insert could be removed if desired.

We claim:

1. A seamless, one-piece football kicking aid molded of semirigid material to the configuration of an individual athletes foot and ankle and adapted to be removably inserted in a football shoe comprising a foot portion underlying substantially the entire length of an athletes foot, an integral upwardly extending ankle portion located behind the athlete's heel and ankle, said ankle portion being curved around the heel and ankle, an upwardly extending flange integrally connected to at least one side of said foot portion and said ankle portion, said flange extending forwardly substantially to the ball portion of the athlete's foot to permit bending of the forward portion of said foot portion but resisting bending of the rear portion thereof, whereby said brace is molded to the con tours of an individual athlete's foot to resist bending of the foot and ankle in as least one direction when a football is kicked. 

1. A seamless, one-piece football kicking aid molded of semirigid material to the configuration of an individual athlete''s foot and ankle and adapted to be removably inserted in a football shoe comprising a foot portion underlying substantially the entire length of an athlete''s foot, an integral upwardly extending ankle portion located behind the athlete''s heel and ankle, said ankle portion being curved around the heel and ankle, an upwardly extending flange integrally connected to at least one side of said foot portion and said ankle portion, said flange extending forwardly substantially to the ball portion of the athlete''s foot to permit bending of the forward portion of said foot portion but resisting bending of the rear portion thereof, whereby said brace is molded to the contours of an individual athlete''s foot to resist bending of the foot and ankle in aS least one direction when a football is kicked. 